Timepiece mechanism



March 8, 1960 o. H. DlcKE TIMEPIECE MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1957 INVENTOR.

March 8, 1960 Filld July 22. 1957 o. H. DxcKE 2,927,421 TIME'PIECE: MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheei 2 f I 89 '4 5m IO 5 80 5 12,. *8E 84 o 19 Il I 5 Y ac l 20 5c I8 SIB |2 86 5o e? 5o INVENTOR.

March 8, 1960 o. H. DlcKE 2,927,421

` TIMEPIECE MECHANISM med July 22. 1957 s sheets-sheet a United States Patent() TIME-PIECE Misctmrusivty scar H. Dicke, New Bremen, 02u20 Application' July 22, 1957, Serial No. 67tg29l'j` 2'1 Claims. (Cl. 58m-169) of setting such clock or watch should lbe accomplished without gear shifting in that extreme accuracy is required. Clocks or watches must at times -be set to a great extent because lsuch clock has for some reason, such as failure of mainspring energy, stopped and lost much time. For this reason it is desirable to have two setting knobs one of which performs only a setting function, whereas the other performs both a setting and a rate regulating function. In my prior application the structure employed includes a planetary gear mechanism, which is not only costly to manufacture, but is also cumbersome. y

In view of the foregoing and other important considerations, it is proposed in `accordance with the present invention, to accomplishv two kinds of relative setting motion between the dial and the indicating hand of the clock or watch, of which one kind of relativemotion may transmit the same extent of mot-ion to the rate regulating element of the clock or watch as the setting motion `during a setting function of the clock or watch, and the other kind of relative motionr of which accomplishes setting without causing such operation of the rate regulating element, and to accomplish these func'- tions without gear shifting and also without the employment of cumbersome planetary gear mechanism.

More specifically, it is proposed to'cause setting alone of the hands with respect to the dial in the usual and well known way by rotating the hands as permitted through the medium of aslip Vclutch provided for this purpose in every clock or watch of the escapement'type, and to further'accomplish combined vsetting vand rate regulation of such clock or watch by rotation of the dial with respect to the clock works of such clock or watch, and to harness this latter relative motion between .such clock (or watch) and the dial for accomplishing rate regulation to `an extent commensurate or propor- .tional to the amount of setting required and performed.

lIn other words it is proposed to at ktimes set the clock or watch by keeping the dial and works substantially in'- Iegral land move the cloclt'hand relative to both and at other times-to set the clock by keeping the hands and works substantially' integral and move the dial relative to both. In the latter case the relative motion of the dial with respect to the works may be used to accomplish setting and proportional rate regulation, and in no case is gear shifting required.

One object of the present invention resides in the construction of a clock or watch so constructed that the clock works, with its minute hand, may be rotated separately from the dial and then to harness the relative motion between theworks and the dial to cause rate 2,927,421 Patented Mar. 8, 19S()y ICC 2 regulation to a proportional extent and in the proper direction. This object may be` accomplished either by rotating the dial to accomplish both setting and rate regulation proportional thereto or by rotating the works to `accomplish both setting and rate regulationk proportional thereto.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of'means for returning the d-ial back to its normal position after it has been moved to accomplish rate regulation. Another object resides in Iapplying the invention to a clock operated recorder wherein a record sheet moves back of a pen. g Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of' both a supplemental dial and a supplemental 'clock hand of lwhich the supplemental dial is operatively connected to the rate regulating means to afford rate regulation by using this supplemental dial and handy for time keep-ing purposes during a rate regulating procedure andy whereby when the dial is periodically turned to set thev clock or watch the clock or watch is rate regulated because the supplemental dial is operatively connected to the rate regulating means.

Another object of the invention resides in the employment of a rotatable dial back of the second hand of aV watch or clockr and to harness this, dial to the rate regulating means of the clock or watch; and to set this dial vat predetermined intervals in accordance withthe second hand indication on a synchro-nous motor electric clock cedure.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will appear from the following specification when considered in the light of the accom- Apanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l illustrates a commercial alarm clock modified to embody the present invention by adding a supplemental dial and a supplemental hand on the back of the clock and by adding reduction gearing for coupling rate regulating means for the alarm clock, which projects through the casing, to the supplemental dial;

Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional elevationv of the struc ture shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 illustrates a wrist watch embodying the invention, in which a supplemental dial is located back of the main dial and which may he read through optical vopenings in the main dia-l andwhich supplemental dial is operatively connected to rate regulating means;

Fig. 3B shows the invention of Fig. 3 applied to a non-sweep second hand, that is, a second hand which is non-concentric withthe minute hand;

Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional elevation of the watch shown in lFig. 3;

Fig.v 5 shows a crossfsectional side elevation of an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the clock movement or clock works is rotated with respect to the dial;

Fig. 6 shows a cross-sectional side elevation of a clock similar to the clock of Fig. 5 and differs therefrom by -aiording rotation of the dial with respect tothe clock works, and in which the main dial is operatively connected to the rate regulator through' the medium of a dial plate, provision being made for returning the dial to its' normal position without returning the dial plate and without disturbing the rate 'regulation adjustment;

Fig. 7 illustrates a'wrist watch constructed in accord- Y 91, secured in the clock frame 22.

3 back side having a back wall, of a commercial alarm clock provided with, las commercially marketed, a minute shaft 2, a main winding key 3, an alarm wind-ing key 4, and a rate regulating shaft 5, having a screw driver slot therein. On the minute shaft 2 is provided a setting knob 6, best shown in Fig. 2. About the minute shaft and in the back wall of the clock is secured a bushing on which is pivoted a pinion 7. This pinion meshes with a gear 8 secured to the rate adjusting shaft 5. As shown by letters S and F on gear 8 the clock will operate slower and faster, respectively, as this gear is turned clockwise and counter-clockwise, respectively. This is vaccomplished by the looped aim 9 lengthening and shortening effectively, respectively, the effective length of the hairspring 10, associated with the balance Wheel 11, of the commercial clock. The gear 12 is part of the gear train including gears 81, 83, 85 and 87 driving pinions 32, 84, 86 and S8 respectively (see Fig. 5) of the clockmovement which has its low speed end driven by a mainspring 80 (not shown in Fig. 2 but shown in Fig. 5) the .high speed end of this gear train drives the escapement wheel 90 of an escapement mechanism of which only the balance wheel 11 and hairspring 10 are shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen that the gear 12 drives the minute shaft 2 through the medium of the slip clutch 13. This, as in substantially all clocks, is resorted to in order to allow setting of the clock in the usual way, namely by turning the regular setting knob 6, to in turn set the minute shaft 2 and the minute hand 15. It will be seen that the hour hand 16 is driven at one twelfth the speed of the minute hand 15 through the medium of reduction pinions 17 .and 18 and reduction gears 19 and 20, of which the pinion gear 17 and 19 is pivotally supported on a trunnion It will be seen that the clock hands 15 and 16 of Fig. 2 may be read on the main dial 14. A supplemental minute hand 23 is secured to the minute shaft 2 between the supplemental dial 21 and the regular setting knob 6. The modified commercial clock shown in Figs. l and 2 was actually built and in this particular construction the pinion 7 had 12 teeth and the gear 8 had 48 teeth.

The time may be read on the main dial 14 (Fig. 2) by reading the minute hand 15 and the hour hand 16 thereon and may also be read insofar as minutes are concerned by reading supplemental hand 23 on supplemental dial 21 connected to pinion 7.

Operation Figs. l and 2.Let us assume that it is 12 oclock noon on a synchronous motor electric clock, to be used as a timing standard, and that the hands 15 and 16 are set to 12 oclock by setting the clock at regular setting knob 6. Let us also assume that the supplemental hand 23 also indicates 60 minutes on the supplemental dial 21. At l2 oclock the following day, or at about this time, the minute time reading, as read on the back of the alarm clock, is compared with the reading on the same electric clock. It will be assumed that the clock of Fig. l has gained substantially 2 minutes. Remembering that the supplemental minute hand 23 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction, the time reading on the back is set into agreement with the electric clock by turning the supplemental dial 21 in a counter-clockwise direction to an extent of 12 (2 minutes worth), so that the back reading on the alarm clock and the reading on the electric clock are now the same. The front alarm clock reading is however 2 minutes fast. Since the dial 21 has been turned 12 in the counter-clockwise direction the rate regulating shaft has been turned in the clockwise direction (toward slow) and to an extent of only 3, assuming a four-to-one gear ratio gear reduction of gears 7 and 8. Let us now assume that it is now substantially 12:30 pm. the following day by the reading of the same electric clock and that it indicates substantially 12:301i on the back dial 21 of the alarm clock of Figs. l and 2. The dial 21 is now turned counter-clockwise one-fourth minute or one and one-half degrees to the correct time indicating position, so that the rate regulating shaft 5 is turned clockwise three eighths of one degree (toward slow). This adjustment will adjust the clock to an extent that it will only gain about one eighth of one fourth or j/32 of a minute (less than 2 seconds) the following day, which may be considered good enough, although this process may be carried on another day, if desired. By experimentation it has been found that the actual clock depicted in Figs. 1 and 2 will be almost perfectly adjusted, no matter how poorly it was adjusted in a single adjustment and how far it was off correct time keeping when the rate regulation procedure was started, if the clock is set to correct time at the back by turning dial 21 substantially 28 hours after the rate regulating and setting procedure is started. From this experimentation it is evident that when the clock, by setting dial 21, is set at approximately twenty-four hour intervals, the under correction is twenty-four twentyeighths or a 14.3 percent under correction. Instructions should go with the clock of Figs. l and 2 stating in effect that for best results the clock should be set for rate regulating purposes every 24 hours until the rate regulating procedure has been completed, but that good results will be obtained if the clock is set three times at such intervals. The reason for these instructions is that it is desirable to make an under-correction so as to reach the final adjustment asymptotically.

Structure Figs. 3 and 4,-In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 there has been illustrated a wrist watch 25 which operates in principle exactly the same as the alarm clock shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The main difference between the two structures is that the supplemental dial 38 connected to or integral with pinion 7 is so located, namely back of the transparent main dial 42, that the regular minute hand 15 may be read thereon as a result of which the supplemental minute hand 23 of Figs. l vand 2 may be omitted. Also, the supplemental dial 38 is provided with bevel teeth 38A which permanently mesh with the teeth of bevel pinion 39. This bevel pinion 39 is secured to a nonshiftable shaft 39A terminating in a head having a screw driver slot 39B. This shaft 39A passes through the regular endwise shiftable winding and setting stem 46 of a conventional wrist watch, a pocket 49A in the winding-setting knob 40B being provided to allow clearance for the head 39B of stern 39A when the stern 4t) is retracted from the winding position for regular slip-clutch- -setting purposes, it being understood that the stem 40 is shown in the winding position and when retracted is in the setting position, the pinion i1 normally engaging a winding gear and when retracted engaging a setting gear (both not shown), whereby the watch may be wound and its hands 15 and 16 may be set without associated rate adjustment. There is another diiference between the structures of Figs. 2 and 4, in that in the Fig. 4 structure an addition-al gear reduction feature is employed by the addition of the pinion-gear 43A-43. The watch escapement pallet 45 also has been shown in Fig. 4. For convenience all other and like parts have been designated by like reference characters in all of Figs. l to 4, inclusive. The main dial 42 of Figs. 3 and 4 is preferably opaque except for a transparent ring through which the minute marks of the supplemental dial 38 may be seen, and read.

It will be observed that the wrist watch of Figs. 3 and 4 has been provided with a sweep second hand 44 driven in any suitable manner (not shown), as is well known in the art. If desired, rate regulation may be accomplished by reading this second hand 44 on the supple` mental dial 38. For instance, since an additional gear reduction is afforded in Figs. 3 and 4 by the addition of the pinion-gear L13A-43, over that shown in Figs. l and 2, it may be desirable to set a watch or clock for rate regulating purposes only once per week, as on each Sunday, and for a period of two or three Weeks. 1f now, rate regulation is to be accomplished by reading the sec- 0nd hand 44 on dial' 33 and periodically setting the secanimer..

nd hand to correct time' with the second hand' on a synchronous motor electric clock by setting, the diall 38, it will be found that the dial 38 should be set to correct second hand time every 2% hours (.60 times a week), or say every three hours. This combined second hand setting and rate regulation may be accomplished byunplugging, and stopping, the synchronous motor electric clock until the clock and wrist watch indicate the same second hand time, and then three hours later set the dial 38 until the like second hand time is indicated on both watch and clock. If this is repeated every 2 or 3 hours for three or four times the wrist watch will be' r'ate regulated to keep substantially correct time. It shouldl be' understood that, in practicing the invention,` it maybe desirable to use a non-sweep second hand, that' is', a second hand whose axis of rotation is onecoricen'tric with the minute and hour hands axis' of rotation. In this case a small dial 39DV infront of, or in a circular hole in, the main dial 42B and rotatable and gearcoupled to the rate regulating means of the watch or clock, may be used. The front view' of such. a wrist Watch has been shown in Fig. 3B, where the second hand has been designated 44B. In other respects the wrist watch illustrated in Fig. 3B is the same as that of Figs.

3 and 4 and like parts have been assigned like reference .0

characters. The bevel gear 39y (Fig. 31B) of course engages bevel teeth on the back of dial 38D and is. operatively connected to the screw head 39B. Also dial 38 6 (one eighth of 13` seconds) the following week,Y 'assuntis ing. `an otherwise very good clock mechanism.

If the second hand 44 isr'eadl on the outer dial 38 the numbers I to 60 will be read as seconds, and in this case the number of successive readings per week will be increased sixty fold (.60 seconds in each minute) in that the second hand rotates sixty times as fast as the minute hand. In other words the dial 38 will in this case be set every, say two and one-half hours. To be morev exact about every two hours and forty-eight minutes (onesixtieth of one hundred sixty eight hours). When a rate regulation procedure is started it may be found'V that the second hand on the' synchronous motor electric clock reads seconds when the watch ofy Figs. 3 andA 4 reads is operatively connected to the rate regulating arm 9,

as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Operation F z'gs. 3 and 1f-'Except for a. few minor Vdetails the operation of the Figs.` 3 and 4 structurer isi the same as that of Figs. l and 2,y and' for4 this reason only the dierence in operation will be discussed.. One'` difference is that the minutes reading for both', normali time indication and for rate regulation operation will beA read by reading the same minute hand 15 onone or the other of the two dials 42 and 38 of Fig. 3. For normal use the hand 15 wil-l be read on the minute marks on the inner circle and printed' on the fixed dial 42, whereas for rate regulation purposes the minuteV hand' 15 is read on the outer circle of minute marks located on` the supplemental and rotatable dial 38. Although the two dials, as shown, assume like rotatedA positions, it is apparent that dial 38 attimes'- assumesy a different position. The outer edge of this dia-l 38 isv shown by a brokenaway portion of the cas-e at 38B and aA portion of this dial 38 is shown broken away at 33C to expose the' bevel pinion 39. if we assume, as we' did in connection with the operation of the Figs. l and 2 struct-ure, that the wrist watch of Figs. 3 and 4 is soy poorly regulated4 that it gains about 2 minutes in 24 hours and if we then assume that the minute hand is set to correct minutesy by reading hand 15 on the outer minutefrnarks located on dial 38 as determined from a synchronous motor electric clock, our rate regulating process has been started. instructions will preferably go with the wrist-watch of Figs. 3 and 4 to in effect suggest that the wrist watch be set only about once a week, such as on Sunday. If now at the end of the rst week the wrist watch is compared with the electric clock it will be found fast to the extent of aboutV 14 minutes. The dial 3S will now be turned clockwise to an extent of 84 (14 minutes worth) soV as tol indicate correct time again. turning the setting knob 39B. Seven days. later thewrist watch will be found to be only one-eighth of fourteen minutes or one and three fourth minutes fast. If the wrist watch is now again set by placingl the blade of a pocket knife in the screw driver slot 39B of the setting and rate regulatingstem 39A and: turn the dial 38 to correct time the pinions 7 and 43Aandt`he gears 43k and 8 will turn the rate regulating" arm 9 to an extent to cause the wristwatch to gain only about 131seconds (one eighth of 105 seconds); the next week, andi iftheprocess iscontinued another week will gain onlyI` about twoseconds This will be doneby n zero seconds. In this case atv each setting time one will wait until the electric clock, used as a standard, indicates ten seconds, at which time the dial 38 will beset to indicate zero seconds. Whether used as secondhand setting or as minute hand setting, the amount of. rota-y tion of dial 38 will be about the sameat corresponding successive dial settings of a rateV regulation procedure. This is also true of dial 38D of' the Fig. 3B construction.

Structure Fig. 5.-In. Fig. 5 has been 'shown an ern bodiment of the invention wherein the front of the clock is the same as any commercial alarm or shelf clock, so that it seems unnecessary to show the front face of the clock. In this form of the invention the clock housing is divided into two parts, namely, a works or clock-movement housing 5t), and a dial4 housing 51. The dial house ingA 51 is held stationary by a three legged support of which only legs` 52 and 53L have been shown. A worm 54 pivoted in. dial housing 5:1 and engaging worin threads around the1wc` rks` housing 50, and provided with asetting knobv 55, has been provided. This knob 55 when turned causes' the works housingv 50 to be bod-ily rotated about thev axis of theV minute'shaft 2. Such :turning of the combined setting and rate regulating knob 55 'will cause special setting ofV the clock by causing. specia and reduced or extra rotation ofthe minute hand 15 'in the dial housing 51 and onv the regular dial 14, depending, on

the direction of rotation of knob 55. vNot only will this cause special setting, as distinguished from regular settingthrough the medium of the regular setting 'knob 6, and slip clutch' 13, of the clock, but it will also cause1 rate regulation of the escapement mechanism of' the clock, because the dial housing 51 is provided with an armi 51A which terminates in' a bearing blockrSlB in which the minute Shaft 2 is pivoted. This bearing block 51B terminates in a pinion SiC, which engages andmeshes with teeth ofk gear sector 8C, terminating in a rate regulating arm 9; The movement of gear sector 8C about its pivot 8E will change the effective length of the hairspring 110 a-nd cause rate regulation of the` clock. The construction is'. such that it thecl'ock is set forward through the medium of setting and' rate regulating knob 55, causing; rotation of the clock movement and its minutey hand; thei hairspring. 10 is eiiectively shortened to increase then rateA of operation of the escapement mechanism. It will be observed that in the Figs. l andy 2 construction special dial 21 and a special minute hand 23 were required,A that in the Figs. 3 and14 structure only a special dials waslrelquired and that in the Fig., 5 structure neither a special dial nor a special minutel handIV is;=required. This is due to the'ftct that the works are bodily rotated to accomplish both rate regulation vand setting` in'-tl1c'same' operation and with proportional movement inxboth functions. It should be observed that the integral pinion and. gear 17-19 of Fig. 5 is pivoted on a trunnion 91 securedl in the arm 51A of the dial housing 51. This structureis part of the clock works but are a part of the dial structure. The clock works mentioned includes the mainspring 80, gears 81, 83, 85 and 87 driving pinions 82, 84, 86 and I8, respectively, and escapement wheel 90, already described in connection with Fig. 2. The shafts of these -gears and pinions are shown supported in bearing blocks and in frame 89.

Operation Fig. 5.--The Fig. structure operates the same as the structures shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, 3B and 4. -That is, in each case the clock or watch when it is set in the regular Way, as by a setting knob 6, there is no rate regulation. When the clock is set for other reasons than poor time keeping, as for instance when the clock or watch has .stopped for failure of mainspring energy, it is set by this knob 6. When it is desired to improve its time keeping quality it may be set at a special knob, such as dial 21 of Figs. l and 2, knob 39B of Figs. 3, 3B and 4 or knob 55 of Fig. 5 to accomplish simultaneous setting and rate regulation. About the only instructions that need go with the Fig. 5 structure is what setting knob to use and the interval between successive settings for rate regulating purposes to get the quickest results. It is of course understood from the foregoing discussion that if the clock is set at shorter intervals than those suggested above the nal results will come later, and if the interval is made repeatedly longer than it should be, overcorrection of rate regulation may result and if it does, then at the next setting the rate regulation knob 55 will have to be moved in the opposite direction and beyond the point of correct time keeping, and the correct rate adjustment will never be reached as long as setting intervals are too long. The Fig. 5 structure is ideal for alarm, automobile and shelf clocks but is .less suitable for wrist watches because it is difficult to obtain works rotation in a wrist watch using the conventional winding stem. Also, the Fig. 5 structure is not practical for pendulum clocks unless the escapement wheel is located coaxially with the minute shaft and the pendulum and its associated escapement pallet pivot is supported xedly.

Structure Fig. 6.-ln Fig. 6 has been shown a structure particularly useful for pendulum clocks, in that the works casing or housing as well as the clock works contained therein are held stationary, so that the pendulum may function properly. This structure is also useful in wrist watches, wherein the works cannot be readily rotated (see Fig. 7). In this form of the invention the main and only clock dial 60 is separately rotatably mounted in a rotatable dial housing and a special dial-return-to-normal knob 61 is employed (knob 61A, Fig. 7) to return the numeral twelve on dial 60 back to the very top position, without turning the dial housing, after a rate regulating procedure has been completed. In this modification of the invention the hour hand reduction gears and pinions 17, i8, 19 and 2G are pivotally supported, as by trunnion 60A, on the dial 60 which dial is normally integral with the dial housing and is only moved with respect thereto separately from any setting or rate regulating adjustment, namely, only when the numeral 12 is not in the desired position and is put there by turning knob 61 (Fig. 6) or 61A (Fig. 7 The principal difference between the Fig. 6 construction and that of Fig. 5 separate from the dial returning feature is that in Fig. 5 the legs 52-53 of the clock project from the dial housing 51, whereas in the Fig. 6 construction the legs 62 and 63v project from the works housing 50. In each case combined setting and rate regulation are accomplished by turning setting knob 55. `With this difference in the location of the supporting legs til-63, as compared with the legs 52 and .53 of Fig. 5, the dial housing 51 will be turned with respect to the legs each time a combined 'setting and rate regulating adjustment takes place. If a large gear ratio is used between the dial pinion 51C and the rate regulating gear sector 8C and arm 9, as for instance is shown by gears and pinions 7, 43, 43A and 8 of Fig. 4, the numeral 12, designating l2 oclock (see Fig. 7), might even be located near the bottom on the dial at the completion of a rate regulation procedure. It is therefore very important that the restoring-dial-to-normal knob 61 and its associated Worm be incorporated, so that the dial 60 may be returned to its normal twelve-attop position without disturbing the rate regulating position of arm 9. The front of the clock of Fig. 6 has not been illustrated but from Fig. 7 it may be observed how the dial will look if the dial is turned counter-clockwise 30 (five minutes worth) from normal. That is, the hour hand will indicate substantially the same time but the minute hand indicates tive minutes after the hour if the dial has been turned counter-clockwise 30. Stop pins 8D (see Figs. 5 and 6) are provided to limit the extent of rate adjustment in both directions.

Operation Fig. 6.-The operation of the Fig. 6 construction is exactly the same as that of Fig. 5 except when a rate regulating procedure has been completed in the Fig. 5 construction the dial 22 will still be in its normal position, whereas in the Fig. 6 construction the dial may have the l2 oclock numeral located where the 9 oclock numeral should be located. Therefore when the rate regulating procedure has been completed in the Fig. 6 construction, the return-dial-to-normal knob 61 will be turned until the l2 oclock numeral is at the very top and this will not in the least disturb the rate regulation adjustment of the clock. The clock hands must of course be reset at setting knob 6 after this latter procedure.

Structure Fig. 7.-In the Fig. 7 modification of the invention the Fig. 6 structure has been shown applied to a wrist watch. In this Fig. 7 construction the cornbined setting and rate regulation knob 55A corresponds to the knob 55 of Fig. 6 except that in the Fig. 7 construction the worm is pivoted in the main casing and its threads engage threads in the dial housing S1, whereas in the Fig. 6 construction the knob 55 is pivoted in the dial housing and has its worm threads engaging threads in the works housing. Not only is the dial 60 of Fig. 7 rotated but the hour hand is also rotated to almost the same extent. This is readily apparent from the Fig. 6 drawing and by reason of the fact that the hour hand operating reduction gear 19 and pinion 17 are pivotally supported on trunnion 60A fixed to the `dial 60 in the dial housing 51 (see Fig. 6 for instance). it will be seen from Fig. 7 that the dial 60 has been moved counter-clockwise toy an extent of 30 (5 minutes worth) whereas the hour hand 16, as shown by the dotted position, has been moved in a counter-clockwise direction only eleven-twelfths as much or twenty-seven and one-half degrees (also 5 minutes worth, see dotted position), and whereas the minute hand 15 was not moved at all, except such movement as was caused by the clock movement during the setting function, but now due to movement of dial 60 indicates 5 minutes after the even hour. The dial returning worm and knob 61A nowassumes the dotted position (see Fig. 7). In Fig. 7 the dial housing is of course operatively connected to the rate regulating means by a gear reduction structure, such for instance, as shown in Fig. 6.

Operation Fig. 7.-The operation of the Fig. 7 structure is the same as that of Fig. 6. We may assume that the dial 60 of Fig. 7 was just moved counter-clockwise during a rate regulating procedure and that the watch has just been rate regulated to substantially correct time keeping and indicates tive minutes after three and indicates correct time. The dial (dotted position) is of course awkwardly located with respect to the winding stem 40. The user of the watch may desire to have the numeral 12 at the top. To ill this desire he may now turn the dial-returning knob 61A until the numeral l2 is directly below the winding knob 40B. The returning worm 61A will however remain bodily in the same place, as shown by dotted lines (Fig. 7 This will cause the watch to indicate three oclock, the

' at substantially equal and speciiied time intervals.

` 9 wrong time, it being tive minutes after three. The user may now set the watch at the regular setting knob (knob 40B-pulled up) after which the watch will keep sub'- stantially perfect time. Y Structure Fig. 8.-Inl Fig. 8 the embodiment of th inventionk illustrated in Figs. l and 2 has been shown' applied to a recorder of the disk-record type, but it is readily seen how it may be applied to a recorder of the tape record type.

It will be seen that a clock mechanism such as shown in Figs. l and 2 drives, instead of a clock hand, a disk record holder 79 which may have the disk record 71 clamped thereto by a center nut (not shown). This record holder 70 is driven by the minute shaft 2 and n preferably at a speed of one revolution per twenty-four hours. Fastened to the frame of the disk, as by an arm '72, is an instrument 73, such as a volt-meter, pressure-gauge .or temperature responsive instrument, operating a pen holder 74, carrying a pen '75. The elements ofthe clock have been indicated by like reference characters as thoser employed in Figs. l` andZ. v,

Operation Fig. 8.-The operation of the recorder of Fig. 8 is very much the same as that of Figs. l and 2. Before a new disk record is applied to the recording clock the clock is first correctly set byl reading the back hand 23 on the dial 21'. This is .accomplished through the medium of the usual slip clutch 13. Then the record disk is placed on the front so thatthe record disk reads the proper hour and minute under the pen 75'.; if now.

a rate regulationprocedure is to be performed the clock is set in the back bymoving the dial 21 so that the handA ous forms of the invention illustrated, is that rate regulation adjustments should be made without gear shifting, in that gear shifting can leasily bring about error. Since gear shifting would mean coupling the rate regulating means to the setting meansrand clock hands, errors can occur by reason of the operation of the clock movement' itself and in turn operating the clock hands and also the rate regulator, as in case wh'errge'arv shifting is employed and is in engaged condition. Secondly', practicallyno mental eifot or guess-work is involved while a rate regulating procedure is in progress, in that all the user of the watch or clock need' know, and do, is to set the timepiece at the properfsetting' knob several' times In this connection, if the4 specified time interval is 24 hours the. setting may take place from 22 to 26' hours .after the preceding setting'and at any' minute of theho'ur, and in case the specitiedjtime` interval. is one'week the watch or clock may beset at any hour orminute of a particular day-of the Week, say Sunday, that has been selected by theuser, It should be understood that in each' modification ofthe invention the, parts are so related that if thesetting-andLrate-regulation knob is turned to set the clock hands forward' the rate4 regulation means is turned to a higher rate position, and.y vice versa.

Although no pendulum clock has be'en'shovvn'` it should be understood that the rate regulator may change the effective length of the pendulum, as taught in my prior application above identified. Anotherr advantage in the .structure disclosed is that, in the event ar small error should occur in setting. the clock or'watch for both time' indication and rate regulation purposes, this errork will` rot yand not from which indicating position he sets it. That is, the ultimate adjustment is the arithmeticm sum totall of all settings. This is' not the case when gear shifting is employed. lf a gear ratio between setting and rate' regulation elements is used which is alrge enough that setting for rate regulation purposes should take place only once a week (once for each two hours and i`orty-A eight minutes when second hand setting is used), extreme accurzflcyi in., rate regulation adjustment can be obtained, in that one degree of operation of the rate regulating arm will require about 28 degrees of setting. This disclosure is intended to be broad enough to enable theinvention to be applied to recording clocks where the paper moves and the pen remains stationaryexcept for sidewise quantitative movement. For instance, if the Fig- 6 structure is used in Fig. 8 there is no dial returning problem, since the paper may be shifted on the dial. The expression semi-automatic used in the claims should.' be interpreted broadly to mean automatic rate adjustment from manual setting operation.

Having thus illustrated and described tive diterent forms the invention may take, it should be understood thaty these forms have been shown merely as exemplary of forms the inventionV may take, and that these modifications do notk exhaust all possible forms that the invention may take,- and it should be understood that various changeaadditions and modifications may be madein applying the -invention so long as these changes come.

within the scope ofk this inventionV as set forth in the following claims.

What I claiml as new is:

l. A semiautomatically rate regulatedl timepiece comprising a frame; a gear reduction train mounted inr said hand may move to indicate time, said dial being relatively4 rotatable about ak common axis with said time indicating:

hand with respect to said frame; and means operatively' connecting said dial to said rate regulating means in at manner such that if said dial and said framefare rotatedf with respect to each other and about a common axis with said time indicating hand and in a direction to cause'said time indicating hand to indicate a'later time on.k said diall said rate regulating means is adjusted inra direction to in crease the speed of operation of said escapement mechanism.

2. An automatically rate regulatedv escapementl timepiece regulated in response to manual Vsetting comprising;1 a timepiece works, including a gear train, amainspringv for. driving the low speed end of said gear train, an escapement mechanism driven by the high speed endof said. gear train, rate regulating means for adjusting. the rate of operation of sm'd escapement mechanism, a slip clutch having its input member driven by said gear train; time indicating` means driven by the output end of sai-d slip clutch; a dial on which saidk timeA indicating' means may be read` rotatable withrespect to said timepiece works;` and anv operative connect-ion between said rate regulating means and said dial constructed to increase the ratek of operation of said escapementy mechanism when said dial:` andv timepiecerworksare rotated with respeetto each other so as to indicate a later time; whereby setting' only of ysaid timepiece may be accomplishedl by rotation of saidV time-indicating means with respect to said works, as permitted by said slip clutch; and' whereby both setting and. simultaneous rate regulationY ofsaid timepiece may be accomplished by setting said timepiece by rotation of. said works with respect. t'o'said4 dial. f

3. A semiLautornatically rate regulated timepiece as' claimed in claim l, in which the time indicating had@ i5'A 'a minute hand driven by a minute shaft and supplemented by an hour hand, and reduction gears pivotally fixed to said dial and driven by said minute shaft, said minute shaft in turn driving said hour hand through the medium of said reduction gears at one-twelfth the speed of operation of said minute hand, whereby a certain amount of relative movement between said dial and minute hand will cause only one-twelfth that extent of relative movement between said hour hand and said dial even though said frame is rotated with respect to said dial to produce such relative movement. f

4. 'A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim l, wherein the frame and the gear train and escapement mechanism mounted therein is relatively stationary so that the escapement mechanism need not necessarily be a mechanism of the lbalance-wheel hairspring type.v

5.*A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim l, wherein the dial specified in claim l is held relatively stationary in a dial housing, suppleinented by an hour hand rotatable coaxially with the time indicating hand specified, reduction gearing pivotally mounted in said dial housing for rotating said hour hand by the shaft driving said time indicating hand, and where the means for operatively connecting said dial to said rate regulating means is between the dial housing and the rate regulating means, so that rotation of the frame with respect to said dial housing causes both setting and rate regulation and such rotation of said frame causes the smne extent of rotation of said time indicating hand but causes less rotation of said hour hand.

6. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim l; a rate regulating plate, means for supporting the dial rotatably on said rate regulating plate on a common axis with said time indicating hand, and wherein the rate regulating plate instead of the dial is operatively connected to said rate regulating means of claim l; means for adjustably locking said dial to said rate regulating plate; means for adjustably locking said rate regulating plate to the 'frame of said timepiece; said operative connection being such that if said rate regulating plate and dial are moved together with respect to said frame to cause the time indicated by said time indicating hand on said dial to indicate a later time said rate regulating means is adjusted to cause said escapement to operate at a faster rate; and whereby when rate regulation has been completed said dial may be readjusted with respect to said rate regulating plate and frame so as to return to normal the relation of said dial to said frame without changing the rate regulating position of said rate regulating means.

7. An automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 2, modified by the addition of a rate adjusting plate rotatable about a common axis with said dial and said time indicating means, means for adjustably connecting said dial to said rate adjusting plate; means for adjustably connecting said rate adjusting plate to said works, and means operatively connecting said rate adjusting plate to said rate regulating means of claim 2, the operative connection being such that if said dial and said rate adjusting plate are simultaneously moved to cause the time indicated by said time indicating means on said dial to signify a later time said rate adjusting means is adjusted to increase the rate of operation of said escapement, and whereby after the process of rate regulation has been completed said dial may be moved into the normal relation to said frame without moving the rate adjusting plate and without disturbing the rate adjustment.

8. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim l, a slip clutch operatively connected between the time indicating hand and gear train or" claim l', and wherein the dial specied in claim l is located on the back of the clock and wherein the time indicating hand of claim 1 is located on the back of the timepiece and is read on said dial, another time indicating hand operatively connected to rotate synchronously with the indicating hand specified in claim 1 and located on the front of said timepiece, a second and tixed dial on the front of the clock on which said another time indicating hand may be read, whereby when said timepiece is used by reading time on the back of the timepiece and is set by rotation of the dial on the back, said timepiece is both set and rate regulated, but if said timepiece is used by reading the time indicating hand on the dial on the front, the timepiece may be set by slipping said slip clutch and without changing the rate adjustment.

9. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim l, supplemented by a dial housing rotatable about the axis of rotation of the time indicating hand of claim l and with respect to the frame specied in claim l and housing the dial specified in claim l, means for rotatably adjusting said dial in said dial housing about the same axis of rotation, and wherein the operative connection set forth in claim l is between the dial housing and the rate regulating means, whereby when the timepiece is set and rate regulated it is done by turning the dial housing and dial with respect to the frame and time indicating hand, so that the dial may after a rate regulation adjustment be later returned to its original rotated position relative to said frame and without returning the dial housing and without disturbing the rate regulating setting of the dial housing.

10. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the relative rotation between the dial and the frame resides in actual rotation of the frame.

11. An automatically rate regulated escapement timepiece as claimed in claim 2, wherein the relative rotation between the timepiece works and dial to accomplish setting and a change in rate adjustment resides in actual rotation of the works, and which is supplemented by an hour hand moving over the dial of claim 2, gears driven by said time indicating means and rotating said hour hand at a reduced speed and pivotally supported iixedly with respect to said dial, so that rotation of said timepiece works with respect to said dial to accomplish simultaneous Setting and rate regulation of said timepiece will cause less rotation of said hour hand than of said time indicating means and whereby said dial remains in its original position.

l2. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece for indicating time comprising; a casing; time measuring means in said casing; rate regulating means supported in said casing which may be adjusted to change the'speed of operation of said time measuring means; a rotatable time indicating hand driven by said time measuring means; a manually operable rate indicator with respect to which said time indicating hand may be read and rotatable with respect to said casing about a common axis with said time indicating hand; and means operatively connecting said rate indicator to said rate regulating means in a manner such that if said rate indicator is manually moved forward relative to the direction in which Said time indicating hand is driven by said time measuring means said rate regulating means is adjusted to cause the speed of Operation of said time measuring means to be reduced.

13. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim l2, supplemented by means for holding said rate indicator relatively stationary so that relative rotative between the indicator and the casing results in actual rotation of the casing.

14. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim l2, wherein the rate indicator constitutes a time defining dial on which the time indicating hand may be read to measure a denite fraction of one revolution of rotation of said time indicating hand.

l5. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 12; wherein the manually operable rate indicator constitutes a dial. on which both minutes and hours may be read and wherein the time indicating hand constitutes a minute hand; supplemented by a support for holding suc'h dial relatively stationary so that relative rotation between said casing and dial is accomplished by rotation of said casing; an hour hand; reduction gearing for driving said hour hand at one-twelfth the speed of rotation of said minute hand and pivotally supported on said support; whereby rotation of said casing with respect to said support for setting purposes causes rotation of said hour hand to the extent of one-twelfth the rotation of said minute hand and also causes rate regulation of said time measuring means.

16. A semi automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 12, wherein the rate indicator constitutes a time defining dial on which said time indicating hand may be read; supplemented by a member to which said dial may be adjustably secured and wherein the means operatively connecting is between said member and the rate regulating means; whereby combined setting and rate regulating may be accomplished by rotating the said member and dial with respect to said casing and whereby said dial alone may be returned to its original position without disturbing the rate regulating adjustment.

17. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 12; wherein the manually operable vrate indicator constitutes a dial on which both minutes and hours may be read and wherein the time indicating hand constitutes a minute hand; supplemented vby a plate to which said dial may be adjustably secured, and wherein the means operatively connecting is between the plate and the rate regulating means; an hour hand; reduction gearing for driving said hour hand at one-twelfth the speed of rotation of said minute hand and pivotally supported on said dial; whereby rotation of said dial and plate with respect to said casing produces -both setting and rate regulation in a manner to cause the hour hand to rotate one-twelfth as much as the minute hand with respect to said dial and whereby said dial may be returned to its original position with respect to said casing by moving it with respect to said plate and without disturbing the rate regulating adjustment and when so returned the relative movement of the hour |hand will be one-twelfth that of the relative movement of the minute hand with respect to said dial.

18. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 12; modied by having the rate indicator constitute a time defining dial on which the time indicating hand may be read; supplemented by means for holding such dial relatively stationary so that relative rotation between the dial and casing requires actual rotation of the casing which results in Vsimultaneous setting and rate regulation.

19. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece for indicating time comprising; a casing; time measuring means in said casing; rate regulating means supported in said casing which may be adjusted to change the speed of operation of said time measuring means; a rotatable time indicating hand driven by said time measuring means; a manually operable rate indicator with respect to which said time indicating hand may be read and rotatable with respect to said casing about a common axis with said time indicating hand; a tixed dial having time identifying markings thereon concentrically arranged about said common axis on which dial said time indicating hand may be read to indicate time; and means operatively connecting said rate indicator to said rate regulating means in a `manner such that if said rate indicator is manually moved forward relative to the direction in which said time indicating hand is driven by said time measuring means said rate regulating means is adjusted to cause the speed of operation of said time measuring means to be reduced.

20. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 19, wherein the manually operable rate indicator constitutes a time defining dial entirely separate from the fixed dial of claim 19 on both of which dials said time indicating hand may be read.

21. A semi-automatically rate regulated timepiece as claimed in claim 19, wherein the manually operable rate indicator constitutes a time defining ring-dial surrounding the fixed dial of claim 19 and on both of which dials said time indicating hand may be read.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,645,077 Olson July 14, 1953 2,700,867 Doane Feb. 1, 1955 2,785,529 Haerri Mar. 19, 1957 

